Maybe we can start a smear campaign on Fox based on patently fabricated claims about Simpson. That would get the Obama administration to fire him.

rea

Why the heck they put Homer Simpson on a Commission, I don’t know.

DrDick

Fire the whole freaking commission. There is nothing substantially wrong with Social Security and what minor problems exist are easily handled by eliminating the cap on payroll taxes. That, along with a strong public option will also cure Medicare’s ills. As to other deficit issues, withdraw entirely from Iraq and Afghanistan, slash the defense budget by 1/2-2/3 (still leaving us with more than double as much as anyone else), treat inheritances and capital gains the same as all other income, and raise taxes on the rich and there are no more problems.

Rob

In a rational world the Democratic President wouldn’t be looking for ways to cut Social Security

mds

Yeah, as Atrios puts it, the Democratic game plan for the midterms seems to be to run against privatizing Social Security, then return to DC and vote to cut benefits and raise the retirement age.

Brad Potts

What exactly did Alan Simpson do?

Ed

There is nothing substantially wrong with Social Security and what minor problems exist are easily handled by eliminating the cap on payroll taxes.

Obama surrendered that high ground a long time ago and establishing the catfood commission and selecting the likes of Simpson to be on it just made a weak position worse. I have a fond memory from primary season of a debate where Obama began to prattle about the need for Social Security reform and HRC leaped on it, saying roughly what you said. Obama shut up. Good times.

The Dems seem intent on offering the voters a choice between the party that wants to shoot Social Security in the head and the party that offers death by a thousand cuts.

I’m actually grateful to Simpson. This might wake people up. I hope.

soullite

When the Dems actually try this, then people will wake up. Why should they bother right now? It wouldn’t even change anything. The Dems are set for massive losses, and they STILL think it’s a good idea to kick off Obama’s re-election by trying to cut SS benefits.

Obama’s number will drop from 45 to 30 by the end of the year, and then most Dems will probably abandon this scheme. It will be too late to prevent a President Palin or Huckabee by then, however.